cheenc03a.pdf

SHEM
SHEM (3v; CHM ; mm), the eldest of the three
sons of Noah, and therefore always mentioned first
(Gen 532 610 713 918 101 1 Ch. 1,): the rendering of
Gen. in AV and RV1"V is certainly wrong (CP
JAPLIETH).
If an appellative, Shem will mean 'name'-i.c..
renown. In this care, if in Gen. 9 it is really equivalent
Name, to Ls'acl, it may conceivably denote theruling
or noble class (cp Gen. 64 Nu. 162 1 Ch
524) in antitheris to the aborigines, who are called in
Job30s. 'sons of the impious, yea, sons of the nameleis,
beaten out of the land' (so We. CHI3) 13. Bu.
U h . 8 ) There is a strong presumption, however,
that the name of this imponant patriarch has a
longer history and a more recondite meaning. In short,
the legends in the early part of Genrrir bring, according
to the most piaurible view, Jerahmeelite (see Pxn~olr~.
39 6, g), and 'Ishmael' being used as a synonym for
lernhmeel. it is very mobable that 'Shem' ir a modified
iragment of the ethnic name Irhmael.
To derive (with Goidziher) from mrn 'to be higb,'nnd explain
Ithe high one'or e*." th. 'Heaven-god; ha5 "0 indication in
its favour. More probably, Sbem ir a shortened form of a name
like s ~ s n(p.u.), u ~ or ~ rather, if we rvppm that on (Ham) is a
fragment of Uarrhrnecl), D. (Shcm) bw arim out of
8 fragment of 5xynu. (Irhmael).
That the redactor, who here zcr elwwhneemeded I ,~(K~~~Z)
into ]yn (Canan) suppowd uy to mean 'Israel is possible
enux~gh. But critically rush a view ir highly impiobable. See
Gunkel (Gzn.121 I,/: lI&%j), whmc attemp!, huwcuer. to bring
what is raid on Camm in Noah's oraclrr xnto connection with
the historical ritualioninthe scsond millennium e.c. wcmson the
whole prsmsture, in rherhrence of a rhorough tcxtvnl criticism.
The special blessing by which Shem was rewarded
Raditions, is now often read thus: 1 (Bless.
SHEMAIAH
recall that (see NAME, 5 7) if is specially characteristic
of the latest biblical Hebrew writing, and we may
venture to follow Jastrow (/BL 1Qro5), who is of opinion
that ivmu in the names quoted by \Wincklcr atid
Hammei ir an entirely different ward from thc Hebrew
:~~~.
7. K. C.
SHEMA (WW; CAM[&]& [BAL]), one of the cities in
the rrtreme S. of Judah towards Edom (Josh. 1526:
cahmaa [B]) Cp the clan-name SHEMA. I. If ir
not included in the list of Simeonite towns either in
Josh. 19.-6 or in MT of I Ch. 428.31 (but bee v. 18 6).
hut in the former of there passages (Josh. ISz) we find
SHEBA, plainly a mere variant (oawoo [B] ; but cop[r]r
[AL]), a d in @ I Ch. 418 we find gape [BL]. -aa [A].
The connection of Shema with Simeon reenlr obvious.
The Sheba in Josh. 19s war probably introduced as a
supplement from 1515 after the calculation 'thirteen
cities' (v. 6) had been made; RV's 'or Sheba' is too
8HEXAAE (il~@?, whence AVmS HASMAAH), a
Gibeathite, father of AHI~ER (I Ch. 123; AM& [BK].
CAM&& [A], &CMA [LIJ. see DAVID, $ IIC. The
0 Yahwe, the tents of Shem ('. 233 Pesh. praupporer here the name of a separate hero.
- ..- ?npxn n'yocl 'Shemakh the Gihathite.'
OD~ +h?) : let Canaan be his servant' (Gen. 9 ~ J,). 6
It is more plausible, however, to think that D. 26a SHEWAXAH (?:u~w, also 4ilip?,@. see below,
should run, ixyow ', qn,. The Jeruhrneelita were, in either a religious name='Yahwe hears,' or a late (?I
fact. (see Moszs, $5 14) the early tutors of the Israelites
eioansion of the old clan-name 'LEV. .:. -. SHIMEI IChe.1:
L 2 .
in religion. Here and in e. 27 the underlying original note the frequency of the name among priests, Levitrr,
text apparently spoke uf Noah's eldest son as 'Ishmael.' and prophets, whore historical connfftion with the
The subjugation of Kenar (not 'Canaan,' as the southern border-land is ccrthin : c&M&IA[c]). It is
traditional text) referr to matters beyond our ken (cp impnsrible always to differentiate accurately or (as the
RENAZ). Another writer thinks to explain 'Shem' to case mnv . bei . to identifv the various bearers of thir
his renders by identifying 'Shem' with 'Eber' (Gen. name.
10.1). Here it is necessary to transpore 6 and I, and I. A prophet temp. Rehoboam, who deprecated war
read'Arab : in fact, Ishmael(Shem)and'Arzh are nearly with Israel (z K.12~2:~ Ch.11~ [ib. ?ii.p~~]]. and
synonymous. On all theresubjectr, as well ;is on thi prophesied at the invzsion of Judah by Shishak (z Ch.
use of 'Sbem' in P (Gen. 10%~
11x0. cp I Ch. 1 1 ~ ~ 125 ~ 7, ) napparor [Dl]. He ismmentioned ar the writer
rrr Cn't Bib. The reference in Ecclur.491gir no doubt of the history of Rehoboam (ib. v ~ 5 ) cp . also in 65
to Shenx's important genealogicnl position. A late I K. 12 (240, rd. Sw.).
Jewish tradition (adopted by Selden and Lightfoot) 2. A false prophet who for endeavouring to hinder
identified Shem with MELCHIZEDEK (u.Y.). . ,
CD his work was sternlv rebuked bv lererniah iler. 29
2 2 , -~
SETI